


The Light from Within

by hannelore



Category: Tangled (2010)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-30
Updated: 2012-04-30
Packaged: 2017-11-04 15:15:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/395264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannelore/pseuds/hannelore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rapunzel finds out that another of the sun's healing flowers has been discovered, she feels it is her duty to protect it against outsiders who want it for their own gain. Without warning, Rapunzel discovers who needs the flower most.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Light from Within

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rosehiptea (TeaRoses)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaRoses/gifts).



> I wanted to fulfill my recipient's request for some badass Rapunzel in this scene which tests her mettle as Queen. I hope this story brings a little of that to life! Many thanks to my beta pauraque. All remaining inconsistencies and errors are my own.

It was ironic that it had taken so many people to find the sun's magic flower when its need was most urgent, but this time, the flower had been found by accident. Stranger still, the flower was found growing underwater in a small pool of water in the forest outside of the city of Corona. Rapunzel had not believed it herself until she had dove into the water and seen it, its petals unfurled and floating peacefully in the wake of her disturbance.

***

They had to decide quickly on what to do, as word of the flower's discovery was already being repeated throughout the village. Rapunzel ordered a phalanx of guards to surround the pond, which Eugene said he thought was an oddly threatening maneuver, but she wanted the flower protected. She joined the guards in their watch.

The clashes in the forest had lasted three days now. First, there had just been some of the usual suspects trying to get a glance at the guarded pool of water. Those were easily turned away. But then the real attacks had come. Rapunzel's scouts had come back from the distant village of Ganard with stories of armed men preparing to invade the forest again.

But last night, they had caught several Ganard men trying to set a fire near not far from where the Corona guards kept their vigil. Though no serious harm had been done, it was evident the enemy was quite serious in their attempts to seize the flower.

The guards were nervous, which made the horses nervous. Maximus whinnied; Rapunzel knew he was trying to reassure the horses, but the guards were not as easy to calm. Rapunzel knew the men trusted her, but the enemy's repeated attacks had shaken them.

A messenger waved a flag as he approached, stumbling on a tree root and almost falling face first at her feet. No one laughed.

"Your Majesty," he said between breathless pants, "the King of Ganard seeks an audience with you."

"That won't be necessary," Rapunzel said. "He must tell his men to leave. Didn't you tell him that?"

"I did. But he wouldn't have it, he says because we are outnumbered --"

"Outnumbered?" she interrupted, angry.

"We have no more reinforcements," the messenger pointed out hesitantly.

"We have as many as we need to keep them back," Rapunzel said firmly. "Tell him I will accept nothing but their full withdrawal from the forest."

"Your Majesty --"

"Is that clear?"

He swallowed hard and tried to catch the gaze of one of the guards. They avoided looking his way.

"Yes, your Majesty."

She watched him go. Maximus let out a grunt of dismay.

"They will fall back," Rapunzel insisted quietly to him. "They have to. Otherwise..."

She trailed off. She had to protect the flower, whatever the cost.

***

Rapunzel rode into the city, promising the guards that she would be back before twilight. She spied Eugene pressed against the balcony, looking out toward the forest. She could tell by his hawk-like watchfulness that he was worried. Rapunzel felt guilty she hadn't come back sooner. He looked down as he heard Maxiumus clatter up the cobblestones, and scrambled down the outside of the castle by means of the thickly overgrown ivy.

"We do have stairs, you know," Rapunzel said, taking off her helmet with a faint smile.

He shrugged. "Habit." His face was grim. "What happened?"

"They tried to set a fire," Rapunzel dismounted and let Maximus head off toward the stables. "It wasn't big but... I didn't expect them to attack us like that. The guards were scared."

"The kingdom's been threatened before," Eugene said, "but never like this. Of course the guards are scared, they haven't had to do much except chase after common thieves for many years."

"I don't know how long I can keep them there," Rapunzel said, glancing toward the forest. "No casualties yet, but --"

"You expect it'll come to that?" Eugene asked, his eyes widening.

"It could have easily happened," Rapunzel said. She avoided telling Eugene about the Ganard king's demands.

"I was in the village square today," Eugene said. "The city sentiment is certainly on your side, but --"

"But what?"

Eugene looked uncomfortable. "I've never seen them so hostile toward outsiders before. There was a mob at the harbor this morning when a ship came in, they thought the sailors were coming for the flower."

"But the flower isn't even within the city walls!" Rapunzel said. She felt unnerved. She wanted her people on her side, but she hadn't imagined it would come to violence.

"I know," Eugene said. "But it doesn't matter. They believe it's ours. That's what you want them to believe, isn't it?"

Rapunzel opened her mouth to answer, though she couldn't even think of how to respond, when a voice called out to them from the stables.

***

It had been Rapunzel who had encouraged Maximus to pursue Gladiola. She was a proud, gorgeous gray mare and she had never foaled. Maximus seemed uninterested at first. Rapunzel knew he preferred the company of humans, but love did seem to blossom between the two and Gladiola was due to give birth any day. The shout from the stables should have been a happy one, but Rapunzel turned around to see only worried faces. Several men were trying to shove Maximus out of the stables. He brayed with fear, rearing up as if to strike them.

"Max!" Rapunzel cried out, running toward him unafraid. "Stop, they --" A distant blast of horns sounded from the forest. Max heard them as well and he suddenly stopped, alert. Rapunzel hoisted herself into the saddle amid the stunned silence. She felt Max trembling underneath her.

"We have to go," she whispered into his ear, her hand against his neck. "They'll take care of her, don't worry. I promise."

"Rapunzel!" Eugene shouted after her, but they were already racing off toward the forest.

***

As they rode closer, Rapunzel heard the sounds of fighting. The guards were fighting people she had never seen before; they wore clothes of coarse materials and shouted loudly as they struck at the guards again and again. She drew her own sword as she and Max charged in, Max probably doing more damage on his own than herself.

They pulled back for a moment so Rapunzel could survey the battle. Her guards were better armed and trained, they seemed to be beating them back. Every so often there would be a splash as someone tried to dive into the water to get to the flower, but then they would be dragged to the shores where the fighting would begin again.

Rapuzel thought of Gladiola. Another mother suffering to bring a baby into the world. She knew that she could try to protect the sun's flower for weeks, for years, but for what? And for whom? She slid off Max's back and undid her breastplate, letting it fall to the side. She heard the battle raging all around her just for a moment, and then silence as she dove underneath the surface.

Rapunzel heard the muffled cries above her as she pushed herself down toward the flower. She hesitated as she looked at it, thinking about how her father must have felt when he set eyes upon it. She knew that he did what was best without hesitation. She grasped its stem and pulled it free.

The moment she broke the surface of the water, the sun's flower glowed even more brightly in the fading light of day.

"Look!" someone cried and pointed her way. A guard pushed him back as she ignored the fray. Maximus needed no urging to head back to the city. When she handed the flower to a stunned woman standing outside the stables, there were no questions. She simply nodded to Rapunzel and ducked back inside.

There were a few tense moments as they stood outside the stables. Eugene held her hand tightly. They did not speak. The door opened and she saw the woman smile to them, her hand on her chest in relief.

"It's a girl!"

***

Word spread through town quickly that the flower was gone. Once those in the forest had also heard the news, the fighting stopped. She ordered all the guards back within the city walls. At least to her face, no one questioned Rapunzel's decision. Perhaps that was because it should have been obvious to them all. The flower was given by the sun and it wasn't given to Corona, even if the city claimed the symbol as their center and their light. It was given to one who needed it.

The foal, who was named Sunne, took her first steps outside the stables. Though she was gray like her mother, her mane was golden. She looked up at the sky with wide, curious eyes and wagged her tail.


End file.
